This invention is directed to the field of upright vacuum cleaners, more particularly to a coiled power cord therefor having a memory, and a cleaner mounted bar for receiving the coiled power cord during periods of nonuse.
The present invention relates to an improved power cord system for vacuum cleaners, especially of the upright variety, where the cord, in a relaxed or resiled condition is coiled for easy placement on a vacuum cleaner mounted rod during periods when the cord is to be stored, or extended beyond the needed length for operating.
Very often in performing the relatively simple task of vacuuming, the extended power cord can become a problem to the operator of the vacuum. Typically, there are no convenient means to retract the cord during use so the inconvenience of the extended cord remains an obstacle to vacuuming. However, there are a number of cord retraction systems in the prior art whereby, after completion of the vacuuming operation, the cord may be readily retracted into the vacuum housing or canister. Exemplary systems of cord controlling mechanisms may be found in the following U.S. Patents:
a.) U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,476, to Kim, is directed to a vacuum cleaner with a cord-reel release apparatus having a handle in place of a cord reel button. The cord-reel release apparatus has a cord reel, a brake member, an elastic member, and a handle. The cord reel winds a power cord. The brake member is in contact with circumference of the cord reel and selectively limits rotation of the cord reel. The elastic member causes one part of the brake member to contact with the cord reel. The handle presses the other part of the brake member. The handle further has a hooking prominence formed on a side part thereof, thereby the hooking prominence is hooked to a hooking depression formed in an accommodation groove of a body. With the constitution, when the brake member is pressed by the handle, the brake member departs from the cord reel. Then, the power cord drawn out is wound up at the cord reel by elastic force of a spiral spring in the cord reel.
b.) U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,940, to Kim et al., teaches a system to maintain constant tension on the cord of a robot by determining whether the cord is being extracted or retracted and the extent of such extraction or retraction, and increasing or decreasing a spring force applied to the cord by an amount suitable for maintaining a constant tension on the cord.
c.) U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,158, to Seasholtz, relates to a retainer for a portion of an electric power cord having a guide that guides the cord into a space between a pair of ears that cooperate with a grooved part of a handle to define two V notch passageways for the cord leading the cord into a groove which wraps around the handle. The floor of the guide defines with the groove a path for the cord past the ears which is substantially in a plane.
d.) U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,501, to Meletti et al., is directed to a retractable electrical cord-reel apparatus having a pair of hub-and-flange members secured together in sheave-like configuration to accommodate an electrical cord wrapped therearound. The ends of a pair of electrical conductors in the cord terminate within the hub after passage through a gap therein and are secured against lengthwise withdrawal by frictional engagement in serpentine configuration about a plurality of bosses upstanding on the back of one of the hub-and-flange members whose opposite face carries ringlike electrical conductors communicating with the ends of the cord conductors via intervening openings through the member.
e.) U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,054, to Klingspor, teaches a mobile electrical appliance having cord-winding structure therein for an electrical cord which is accessible exteriorly of the appliance and passes through the axis of an apertured supporting wheel rotatably mounted on the appliance at an opening in its side wall.
While the foregoing patents offer a number of solutions for retracting and extending the power cord of a vacuum cleaner, for example, none teach a simple system for keeping a power cord free of interfering with the cleaning operation, where driving over the cord can cause damage to the cord. The manner by which the objective is achieved by this invention will become more apparent in the description which follows.
This invention is directed to an improved, manually retractable electric power cord for a mobile appliance, such as an upright vacuum cleaner. The power cord, configured in coil form in a relaxed or resiled state, which after extension will return to its coiled state, has what may called a memory. In any case, the power core includes a plurality of U-shaped hand gripping members spaced along the cord to be used in manually lifting and feeding the coiled power cord as later described. For mounting the power cord, the mobile appliance or vacuum cleaner, as the case may be, includes an elongated rod extending from the base thereof generally vertical to and spaced from the housing extending from the base. In a preferred embodiment, the rod has a greater lower cross section to ensure stability to the rod, and is secured to the housing by a flexible bracket. Further, the upper end of the rod is flared upward and outward to present a convenient target for loading the coiled and retracted power cord onto the rod. In another embodiment, the rod may be secured to the upper part of the housing which is more convenient to receive and feed the power cord for the intended task.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective system for manually retracting an extended power cord for a vacuum cleaner, for example.
Another object hereof is the provision of a coiled power cord for a mobile appliance, where the power cord has memory characteristics to allow it to return to a coiled state in a relaxed or non-extended state.
A further object of the invention lies in the use of a rod flexibly for receiving the coiled power cord and mounted to the appliance housing to minimize damage to inadvertant contact with the rod.
These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent in the description which follows, particularly when read by those skilled in the art.